Exploration and delegation
Broad repository search can consume main agent context before editing begins. Caveman offers read-only explorer and compact delegation guides that keep search transcripts separate and return only evidence needed by solver.
FastContext-style explorer
The CLI supplies a Claude Code agent file named fastcontext. It is
inspired by FastContext research but does not implement paper's trained model or
inherit paper's reported results.
Install for current project:
cave explore install
Install for current user:
cave explore install --user
explore is legacy alias for:
caveman tools skills install caveman-explore --no-pixel
Current installer supports Claude Code. Codex integration is withheld until transcript isolation has dedicated proof.
Permission boundary
Explorer agent has only Read, Glob, and Grep tools. It cannot edit files or run commands. Its contract returns one verified citation per line:
path/to/file.ext:START-END reason location matters
Line ranges must come from files explorer read. When nothing relevant exists,
contract requires no relevant locations found instead of guessed citation.
When to use explorer
Use it for cold-start localization, broad cross-file relationships, or search that would otherwise add many file reads to solver context. Skip it when task already names exact file or symbol, or earlier evidence provides usable location.
Isolation is mechanism, not outcome guarantee. Explorer call adds model usage. Compare total task usage and resolution quality before claiming net benefit.
Cavecrew
cavecrew is a decision guide for three compact Claude Code subagents:
| Subagent | Permission and output | Intended scope |
|---|---|---|
| Investigator | Read-only location list | Definitions, callers, tests |
| Builder | Surgical edit | One or two known files |
| Reviewer | Compact findings | Diff or file review |
Builder refuses scopes of three or more files. Main agent should own larger refactors and cross-component decisions.
Model overrides:
CAVECREW_REVIEWER_MODEL
CAVECREW_BUILDER_MODEL
CAVECREW_INVESTIGATOR_MODEL
Overrides patch only installed agent frontmatter model line; empty variables do nothing. A plugin update or reinstall can replace patch.
Optional delegate tool
CLI can register caveman-delegate MCP server when execute.delegate is enabled.
It is opt-in because delegated work consumes separate permissions and model usage.
caveman tools config set execute.delegate true
caveman tools mcp install claude --server caveman-delegate
Host agent and server own exact sandbox and approval behavior. Enabling feature does not grant broader permission than host configuration allows.
Evidence rules
- Count explorer and delegated calls in total usage.
- Do not infer complete-task savings from shorter returned prose.
- Validate citations before edits when line drift is possible.
- Keep failure and no-result cases in benchmark.
- Treat paper results as external research, not package performance.